MY HISTORY

My ties to Oceana County start in 1851, 15 years
before the Township of Grant was organized. This was when my Great Great
Grand Parents, Fernando and Frederike Seaver, settled in what is now Southern
Oceana County. They settled on a 40 acre tract of land, taken on a Federal
Land Grant, in what was then know as the Claybanks Territory. It wasn’t
until 1855 that the County of Oceana was established, by the State of Michigan
Legislature, and another 11 years in 1866 before the Township of Grant
was organized. The Seaver Farm was cut out of the wilderness and
had been in the Seaver name for over 125 years. The Seaver farm was granted
Centennial Farm Status in 19__ by the State of Michigan. The old Seaver
farm was sold in 19__ and is now owned and operated by the Dave Woller
Family. Many of the Seaver descendants of Fernando and Frederike Seaver
still live in Oceana and Northern Muskegon County.

Fernando & Frederike Seaver

The Seaver’s First Home in GrantTownship, Oceana County, Mi.

Two children were born to Fernando and Frederike Seaver
on this Grant Township Farm, James Madison Seaver (my Great Grand father)
and August Seaver who was killed in a hunting accident in 1881. Fernando
& Frederike Seaver also raised a young boy name Antone, a six year
old boy that a wandering band of Indians gave them. The Seavers gave him
their name and raised him as there own and when he was old enough and he
married a local girl and moved to New Mexico.

James Madison Seaver married Mamie Ann Krupp and
to this union 4 children were born and all were born on this same Grant
Township Farm. August Montague Seaver, James Leslie Seaver, Everett Fernando
Seaver and Hattie Frederike Seaver.

Hattie Frederike Seaver my grandmother, was born
and raised in Oceana County and she attended and graduated in 1911 from
the Green School in Claybanks Township. Hattie’s parents then moved
to Whitehall where she attended and graduated from the Whitehall High school
in 1916. Hattie then went to the Taylor University in Marion, Indiana which
she also graduated from. After college Hattie set out with a friend to
see the United States and in a little town name Mohler in Lincoln County
in the State of Washington she met a cowboy named, Frederick Wilbur Yarwood,
and this cowboy became my Grandfather. To this Union three children were
born Joanne Mamie Yarwood, James Burnett Yarwood, and Joseph Allen Yarwood.

Joanne Yarwood my mother was born in Mohler, Lincoln
County, Washington and grew up between Washington and the Whitelake area,
graduating form the Whitehall High school in 1947. Joanne after high school
in 1950 married Roger Schultz. Joanne after raising 4 monsters went back
to college in 1966, and earned her BS degree. In 1970 Joanne started teaching
in the Montague Public Schools & has taught the 4th, 5th & 7th
grades within the school. She retired in 1995 after teaching 25 years.
Joanne is also a member of the Women's auxiliary at the Montague VFW &
was the auxiliary’s president for 1 term. Four children were born to Joanne
& Roger Schultz, Cheryl Ann Schultz, Roger Charles Schultz Jr. (me),
David Lee Schultz and John Leslie Schultz

My Father Roger Schultz was born in Montague Township,
Muskegon County, Michigan to William & Tina (Graf) Schultz & shortly
after the family moved into Montague. Roger attended the Montague Schools
& graduated in 1946. Roger enlisted in the US Navy after graduation
& served from 1946-1950. Roger worked at the Whitelake Leather Company
& then the Hooker Chemical Company plant in Montague. Roger Schultz
was a little League manager for 31 years & was honored by the city
of Montague on Aug 20, 1976 when they signed a resolution proclaiming it
as Roger Schultz Appreciation Day for the years he put into working with
the young kids of the community. Roger was a member of the VFW Post #3256
until his death in 1987. He served as commander twice, was All State Post
Commander twice, District 12 Commander, named All American Commander.

This is part of many articles written by the Seaver families that were
printed in the Local Montague, Whitehall and Muskegon papers.

Hattie (Seaver) Yarwood, my Grandmother, is surprised
when people complain about today’s trying times. She still remembers tales
told by her grandparents about their trials and tribulations which make
ours modern life seem pretty tame.

Her Grandparents Fernando & Frederike Seaver, immigrated
from Germany in the 1840’s, finding employment at a lumbermills on Brown’s
Pond, in Fruitvale – he as a mill hand and she as the camp cook.

After working hard, and with the little money they had
managed to save, they tried homesteading in Grant Township, Oceana County,
where they first built a log cabin and then a frame house, one of the first
in the area.

After receiving a Federal Land Grant they had to clear
the land. The unbroken forests were still waving in their splendor and
were the haunts of many animals such as wild cats, bear, deer, and, in
the still of the night, the echo of the howling wolves broke the calmness
with their weird shrieks. Once the land was cleared, loneliness became
almost a constant companion. For months the only visitors the Seavers had
were Indians. The Hunting braves would stop for a lunch or to do some trading.
After a couple of years another German family moved near them and they
had someone besides themselfs to communicate with, and this family became
very good friends of the Seavers.

Farming wasn’t too profitable in those days, Mrs. Yarwood
explains, The deer and other wild animals often ate the garden crops before
they could be harvested. Hard work and long hours were taken as a matter
of course in those days. The Seavers raised most of what they ate and traded
butter and eggs for whatever else they needed. In the summer time they
often walked to town at daybreak, when it was cool, so that their butter
wouldn’t be melted by the time they got to the stores.